“She said she liked it but Prince William thought it was a bit bright.”

This is a style we actually suggested as a good look for the Duchess back in December of 2012, in a post covering the Erdem pre-fall 2013 collection. The garment is made of a wool crepe with multiple seams and top-stitching, front pockets, along with exposed zippers on the front and at the wrists.

Stephen Lock/i-Images/www.i-Images.co

The coat originally retailed for $3120, we last saw it selling at half of that price, $1560.

The frock is crafted of Italian silk crepe de chine, with a silk habotai lining. It has smocking at the shoulder and just under the bust, as well as a full skirt; the dress retails at £475. This style is one of the brand’s signature styles, an item they offer every season. Suzannah has been worn by Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, as well as Pippa Middleton.

Kate wore her Episode Angel heels and carried her Mulberry clutch.

Stephen Lock/i-Images/www.i-Images.co

For jewelry Kate wore the Cartier wristwatch and the emerald earrings first noted at a November, 2012 Natural History Museum function.

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Many have asked about the third ring Kate now wears. It is an eternity band, although we don’t know the designer or retailer.

James Whatling/Splash News

The Duchess also wore the commemorative WWI anniversary poppy pin first seen on the blue McQueen coat.

Comments

I am so glad I’m not the only one who detests that coat! I saw it and said, “Yikes!” I was incredibly shocked that Kate would even wear it. She had to know it was awful. It’s like a royal version of a burlap sack. She could have stuffed Prince George in the front and taken him with her. If this is the Queen’s choice of fashion for Kate we’re in big trouble ’cause it’s going to go downhill from here. The Queen needs to tend to her pooches and let Kate worry about her wardrobe.

I love the color of the coat, but it pretty much stops there. 🙁 the whole thing reads very stiff and buttoned up, and the column like effect it gives isn’t very flattering, the fit and flare silhouette works so much better in heavy coats! It’s a shame she left such a boxy garment on the whole time, because the Susannah dress looks lovely, and a print would be refreshing in the midst of so many monochrome looks.

My first thought when seeing this coat was, “oh my, it looks like a house robe!” It’s a shame because it is a beautiful color. Maybe it was because she zipped it all the way up to the chin – maybe it would look better with some of the dress peeking through? Also it is too loose and ill fitting – which is surprising as Kate always has such tailored looks!
I think this is my first time to comment on this blog…but I’m a frequent reader and love Kate’s elegant and timeless styles (usually!)

Hi all.
I am an avid Kate watcher and think she is so stylish. I think that if the Queen has too much influence this will be a shame. The advice to weight her hems and lengthen hems a little is good advice, but apart from that I think the Queen should leave the rest to Kate. She has excellent taste and is so ‘lady-like’ in a world where many females in the public eye are the opposite. This has been her style all along and it translates so well into her royal life.

I also love that she has clearly taken such good care of her clothes and accessories before she became royal, so she can re-visit them years later. This also shows she has always bought quality and classic styling for expensive pieces.

Re the green coat…as an experienced seamstress, I think the welting/top-stitching on the front seams (which stiffens the structure) and the full length front zip (which is stiff) prevents the coat from forming natural horizontal folds when Kate bends. This is what gives the quilted/padded dressing-gown appearance to the coat. It would be slightly improved if the zip ended 15-20 cm short of the hem, so the skirt could spread a little and relieve the bunched-up centre front. In this event, the patterned dress would also give some relief to the solid green. However, the coat will never be right without a total recut, as it is too stiffened on seams to allow the tabs to be pulled tighter. A fuller skirt and a tighter waist would have solved a lot of problems. Kate, leave it for your next pregnancy when your bump will fill out the loose waistline!!

So I got that off my chest!! I wonder what other seamstresses think. ??? Carmel

Thank you so much for your insight, Carmel. I’m not a tailor/seamstress, but your comments are illuminating and explain why the fit of that green coat seems so off! On a related note, I’d never heard the term “gore” used in a construction context before I started reading WKW, and have learned quite a bit from the wonderful Susan and equally incisive comments from this community.

First I have to say I think the Rainbow hospice visit is wonderful and I really admire the Duchess for bringing so much attention to children’s hospice. It’s a heavy topic and not one people like to think of, but a necessary service. The Alice in Wonderland tea party was brilliant! (I sound British now lol). I’m on the fence regarding the coat. In the pics on the Erdem website it’s very nice and in the YouTube video it looked much better in fit and color, but it doesn’t seem to photograph well. I agree with others that it’s somewhat of an awkward fit as well. The dress underneath is very pretty though and I am sure we will see her wearing it again this year without a coat. Is anyone else wondering where the trusty nude pumps have been?? LOL Perhaps the nude shoe trend is slowly going away? Also, I hope we see that precious, little George again soon!

I think she looks lovely in this coat- love the color and the decorative stitching- it’s a little different from her usual look. She looks great in everything she puts on anyway. It is definitely cool and fallish down there, especially on the South Island. I think bright colors are useful when you are appearing in front of large crowds. No one can miss her!

Alas, I’ve been hit by a painful medical problem that is temporarily affecting the vision in one of my eyes, so I may be “hors de combat” for much of this tour. (Wouldn’t you know it?) I’ve a lot to say about what I’ve been able to see so far (I actually knew Tory Burch when she was an undergraduate and would never have imagined that she’d end up as an international fashion conglomerate), but I can’t look and type for more than a very limited period of time — very bad for an art historian.

Before I sign off, I’ll comment that I LOVE that green coat, despite the fact that I generally dislike Erdem designs. I can’t imagine why Prince William thought it was “too bright,” given the much brighter red coat that the Duchess wore for her arrival in New Zealand. However, my vision at the moment is such that the green coat may be registering at a much lower brightness level than the Prince and the Kiwis are perceiving.

HI Lili, so relieved to hear you’re still with us and so sorry to hear about the eye, sincerely hope it gets better soon. I’ve had a health blip myself and can share with you the frustration of only being able to peek from time to time rather than fully enter the fray.

How amazing to have known Tory as an undergraduate. It’s kind of weird when people you once saw in everyday life take off into stellar careers, but it livens up the after-dinner talk!

And great to get your verdict on the green coat. Funnily enough, having been hit between the eyes by the vibrancy of today’s turquoise Wickstead, I was just beginning to get reconciled to the Erdem myself, having swithered earlier. You’re helping me make up my mind.

Take care and look forward to meeting up with you again when you’re feeling better.

I really like the color and style of the coat, but it looked a bit shapeless since she wore it zipped the whole time. You could see all the buckling when she was bending down or sitting. Not sure if I liked her choice of dress underneath either, the styling by the designer (solid top and patterned skirt) looked much more balanced. As always, it would be so nice to see her get just a bit more adventures with her choices in shoes, especially when she is around little girls.

I clicked onto some of those links and was in tears. Those children who know they are going to lose their mother were just heartbreaking. I don’t know how I would feel having to visit and talk with them. The Duchess is amazing the way she makes the children feel better by just talking to them. One little girls said Kate had a “smiley face.”

The colour of the coat is very striking but there is sth bout the fit that doesn’t flatter compared to some of her other coats.
I agree with the comments that the combination of traditional and edgy accents of the coat don’t seem to work.
I’m very fond of most of her coats and I’ve bought many, but this one feels a bit odd to me even thought it certainly suited the day’s schedule.

The dress on the other hand I liked so much I ordered it today. Even though we can’t see it on her, it looks like a classic, feminine very versatile dress. When I saw the pictures of the hem in the post I thought it was the max mara studio dress:http://gb.maxmara.com/p-6621034106003-materia-emerald
Which I had my eyes on buying as I loved the bright green and the style.
To be honest I think its a very good copy of the duchess dress with the exception of the lack of sleeves and it’s from a brand she wears. Given the higher price tag of the suzzanah tea dress, if I’m not in love with it, I plan to swap it for the max mara one.

My tory burch Paulina dress arrived form net-a-porter and it’s better than I expected. Very light, feminine ,with interesting details and very versatile.

As usual, Catherine looks beautiful and vibrant and vivacious. But like other posters, my first thought was that this looks like a housecoat. I’m not sure if it is the quilting or the zipper or both that causes this impression. What really becomes evident is that the coat seems too large on her, especially at the neck and waist. That makes her look more shapeless than we know her to be. I very much enjoyed hearing her questions to the little girl and her comment that William didn’t like her outfit…gives us a glimpse into a private moment between the two of them. Also the Alice in Wonderland theme pictures are great.

Green is not my favorite color but I do love this coat. The zippers make it young and modern and the Duchess looks wonderful in it. The dress is also very pretty. I do seem to remember seeing Pippa wearing a similar dress a year or so ago. I think it was at a wedding.

Wool crepe fabric breathes but can also keep you warm. I have a wool mix dress and it keeps me warm in the winter and cool in the summer….and I’m from Canada. I really love the color on her. It does seem a bit ‘boxy’ for her shape but certainly not too bright.

So much criticism!! Do you critics keep in the backs of your small minds that she has so many people to please with her clothes choices:

The Firm (what the Royals refer to themselves and their associates as) are scrutinizing her every move. Probably taking notes to go over with her upon her return to Kensington. You think I’m kidding – I’m not.
The public. How many billions are we now?

I wouldn’t do this job, would any of you? Being on display and having people gawk at you every time you leave your home. I actually got tears in my eyes when I read that William said that George’s participation at the play date, “was the first in his life as a prop forward”. How incredibly sad. A prop!!

Well, I say the hell with what anyone has to say, take the money, the luxuries, the travel – all of it. You deserve it and more for giving up your personal lives. And through to fault of your own, William. You were born into it. No choice there. And Duchess Catherine… I love her strong will. She dresses to suit herself. How do I know this? The article states that William thought this coat a “bit bright” but she wore it anyway. I give her my permission to wear whatever she wants. She has yet to let me down.

Renee, I understand that you are making a point, but William was actually referring to a position in rugby. A prop forward is apparently “either of the forwards to the right and left of the hooker in the front row of the rugby league scrum.” This is a definition courtesy of Google. I’d have to refer further to Google if I wanted to know what a hooker was, much less a scrum.

I like the coat! In the first picture the tailoring and front detailing show best. The second picture just isn’t a good picture, maybe it’s the lighting or the lens the camera person used, makes the coat look fuzzy. The bit of green and white print showing in the walkabout is pretty. There is probably protocol as to why she doesn’t take the coat off? Maybe not something one does in public, while on duty? The Queen, Princess Anne, don’t remove their coats if worn to events, that I’ve ever noticed. If the occasion calls for a dress, from photos it seems they show up in the dress – no coat… In some weather you wonder that they aren’t cold walking from car to the event.

So far this is my least favorite look of the tour. The coat looks ill-fitting, and the full-length zipper is distracting (although I think the zippers on the sleeves are a fun detail). I love the color, Kate can pull off bold colors well, but that’s it. I wish she had removed the coat while indoors as that dress looks like it was very flattering, but we never got to see that.

I’m going to be the odd one out here and admit that I rather like this coat. While the color is indeed bright, this is spring and the Duchess was headed to a children’s hospice (to an Alice in Wonderland-themed party, I might add!). If there ever was a time appropriate for bright colors, this is it. I am quite taken by the exposed zippers, particularly how the bottom zip hangs below the hem. I also like how the pockets seem to follow the horizontal seaming, those side-belt tabs at the waist that accentuate the figure, and the collar that stops just short of becoming Peter Pan but is rounded enough to add a dash of whimsy. In other words, I’m elucidating how this style balances conservative elements with the whimsical and casual in a way that I find appealing; I’m basically mimicking what ElizaMo said, except the finished product worked in my book! (Still love you, ElizaMo!)

The one detail element that I feel iffy about are all those seams on the front of the coat. While I appreciate the level of craftsmanship that goes into creating such seams, I think they make the coat appear too busy, especially considering the attention-grabbing color. Added to this, they deliver a strange effect: I keep thinking that Wolverine accidentally slashed the front of this coat. In my opinion, the arched seams above the bust are plenty.

I’m very finicky about color coordination and usually do not like to accessorize with black. I often feel that black is just too obvious of a color contrast (…and sort of lazy), plus the pairing can often be too startling. In Style magazine always includes a section showcasing a color and possible pairings, and I always snip out the section and file it so that I can create more interesting and unexpected color contrasts (yes, this is strange, I will fully admit. But, not all of us are born with a color wheel in our heads!). Surprisingly, however, I feel like the black accessories really work in this outfit, possibly because of the just barely visible black in the zippers.

I love the dress and hope that the Duchess chooses to wear it at a future event that doesn’t require a coat! I really must acquire a silk crepe de chine frock in the future.

My only real, abiding concern about this outfit is that we have, once again, the Duchess wearing British and Canadian labels. I’m very concerned that we are this late in the tour and she still has failed to pay homage to a New Zealand or Australian designer. As others have pointed out, wearing NZ/Aussie designers is not only a tip of the hat to the host countries, but because of the “Kate Effect” it would deliver a large amount of publicity and undoubtedly result in increased sales for the said designer. My fingers are crossed that we will see a NZ/Aussie designer showcased at her next event, but I do feel that she should have already worn at least one designer from the host countries. (Couldn’t she have found a striped shirt from a NZ/Aussie designer to wear on the boat yesterday?)

I love the color of this coat but echo Barbara’s comment–is it royal protocol to keep the coats on, even indoors? I thought the dress underneath looks lovely, but if it weren’t for WKW, we’d never have seen it!!

This coat is one of the only pieces of clothing in Kate’s wardrobe that I immediately hated on sight. The fit is shapeless, the seams are completely unnecessary and the collar makes it too demure-looking. It looks like something the Queen would wear. I really, really hope Kate is not heading towards this level of frumpiness with all her clothing.

I like the color– green looks nice on her (dare I say William– King of the navy suit and red tie– was a bit presumptuous to tell her it was too bright!) . Like many of you, I’m less thrilled about the fit.

I wish we could have seen her in the dress at the hospice! It is such a pretty dress and she looked a bit out of place with the children wearing sundresses!

I also would have liked to have seen her hair up because it covered her poppy. 🙁

PS: Does anyone think the dress resembles the one Carole Middleton wore when she went to meet George?

It’s interesting to read your comments about the coat not fitting Kate properly. I suspect it’s the fabric. It looks a little too soft to hold this shape. If you look at the second photo, you can see that the sleeves are creased, which wouldn’t happen in a slightly more sturdy weave, such as a boucle (like Kate’s Missoni blue coat) or a melton cloth like the Queen uses for many of her coats.

I actually liked the green when I first saw it, but I also can understand why William thinks it’s too bright. If the Palace has been advising Kate on the “solid color in a crowd” theme, it got it a bit wrong on this one. I actually could see the Queen in a coat this color, it would be perfect with her silver hair and her complexion. Imagine this color on the Queen with a matching hat and some of that lace that she often has draped over her hats.

So far, my favorite coat is the red Catherine Walker, followed by the blue Lee McQueen, and then this. Hoping that cream makes an appearance — perhaps on Easter?

All I see when I look at this is my mother’s house coat from the mid 1970’s. I like the color, but that’s about all. It even looks to me like the fit is not quite right across the shoulders, and that the waist could have been nipped in a little more.

I am loving the tour and how quickly we get to see something new. Your posts are wonderful, thank you!

I can’t figure out why Kate leaves her coat on at so many events both on tour and in the UK. Maybe it is a royal thing. I can understand it outdoors, but wouldn’t you think she’d take her coat off at the Rainbow hospice.

I like the Suzannah dress but would like to see it in full on the Duchess. The coat seems a bit shapeless.

The best part of the tour is seeing Kate’s beautiful smile and her kindness and compassion. Prince William is lucky to have her at his side.

The only thing I like about this coat is the colour – in my opinion its one of her worst outfits ever. Did she lend it from the Queen??? Obviously the rumours, that she has been ordered more demure outfits with longer hemlines seem to be true, otherwise I can’t explain the choice of this coat.

But I fear I may be suffering a bit of style fatigue as the days go by. I’m a great fan of zips but I find this full-length one out of place, they may work better on sleeker and more edgy styles, especially when reversed out.

This one seems out-of-sync with an otherwise conventional style and the zipper pull hangs looks lost hanging loose beyond the hem. The sleeve zips are much more neat.

Seaming is also well executed though again it seems out-of-place, almost gratutitous, not serving any obvious purpose or pointing up the features of the coat – maybe just attempting some low-key texture to the flat density of colour in the soft crepe fabric.

The extra large pockets also bulge out of line with the silhouette and the side belt features seem too brief, lost in a dull sea of green. Overall it feels as if the design is struggling to find “edge” while remaining conservative at heart and, alas, the combination doesn’t hit the mark for me.

Love the Suzanne tea-dress – so relieved it didn’t turn out to be another outing for the old Mulberry green one first worn to the London Natural History Museum. This one looks like a handy addition to any holiday wardrobe, and like the Tory Burch worn to the playgroup earlier, it’s consistent with Kate’s style of old, but just that bit more high end. I certainly welcome that over items quite as basic as the little polka dot Top Shop dress worn last year to the Warner Bros studios.

And even if the coat doesn’t quite work for me at the moment, the Duchess herself, as always, looks simply lovely!

Green and red are my least favourite colours, but I like them a lot on Kate, except on this occasion. I have to agree with Prince William, it’s too “bright”. Although my choice of word is not as complimentary … I think it’s hideous. I’m a little tired of the coats, but then when I saw a picture of the dress below I was mollified somewhat.

I fear we may not see something pretty and lacy, that it’s going to be all bold block colours … maybe when she gets to Australia. Here in Queensland it is 6pm and still 30C/86F. It usually doesn’t get cool enough for coats until May. I must sound terrible, I certainly don’t expect the Duchess to suffer in the cooler and windier New Zealand for the sake of fashion!

But back to the green coat, the very first thing I thought of was this dressing gown I wore when I was a little girl about 40 years ago, all zips, no shape, yet warm.

I completely agree. The coat has a great color and nice details with the zippers and seaming but she is swimming in it! And wondering why she kept it zipped up all the way to her throat the whole time – with that kind of a high neck look, having her hair up/back would have suited so much more. That’s the same rule of thumb I use with my own hair.